Basic Skills in Management and Leadership

Give the Spotlight to Your People

True leadership isn’t really about leading people in the sense that they’ll follow you around. And it’s not just a title either. It’s about being able to guide people, such as your team, to new successes and new heights without micromanaging them, with an attitude of gratitude. One way to show your gratitude is to give the spotlight to your people.

Get to Know Them Better

The more you know the people who help you with your business, the more you can share the spotlight in a way that is meaningful for each person. Some people are actually happier behind the scenes, so you don’t want to frighten anyone away.

Call Out Others When They’re Amazing

Whenever anyone on your team or even within your audience does something amazing, call them out for it on social media. They’ll be excited about it and thrilled.

Delegate to the Right People

The best thing you can do to help your people shine is to find the right people to delegate to in the first place. You want them to be experts in their field so that you can just trust them to do what they know how to do. It’s easy to shine if you hire experts.

Set Deadlines

No matter who you work with, and even for your own personal projects that you do alone, always set deadlines. Deadlines will keep your business flowing well and also cut down on misunderstandings and problems.

Give Excellent Directions

When you give a project over to someone else, you should focus on the deliverables and not how to do it directly. You don’t need to give instructions to contractors on the steps to the project. You only need to tell them what you expect the deliverables to look like and when you want it.

Step Back and Let Others Step Up

If you micromanage things, it will be difficult for your contractors to step up. It’s imperative that you learn to step back so that others can show themselves and step up.

Challenge Them to Stretch and Grow

For some contractors you want to find out what they really love doing so that they can stretch and grow. Remember that the more they stretch and grow, the more your business prospers.

Make Them Feel Special

Make your people feel special by remembering special days and by complimenting them on their work, privately and publicly. It’s imperative that you care enough about your people to pay them well, treat them well, and let them know when they did a good job.

When you give other people the opportunity to shine, they will not disappoint you. Whether they’re contractors, employees, or even fans and customers, you can shine the light on them in a big way. After all, without a team behind you and an audience in front of you, you wouldn’t be where you are.